Fireplace tongs



Oct. 19, 1937. H. L. GREEN 2,096,104

FIREPLACE TONG'S Filed July 9, 1936 19106712307 5a)? L, 6 Z MW Y f% Patented Oct. 19, 1937 I PATENT OFFICE FIREPLACE TONGS Harry L. Green, Rockford, Ill., assignor to John M. Watters, West Newton, Mass.

Application July 9, 1936, Serial No. 89,756

2 Claims.

This invention relates to fireplace tongs and its principal objects are to provide tongs which may be easily and conveniently manipulated by an unskilled or inexperienced person and which are reliable and capable'of securely holding a log, ember or the like without requiring the use of considerable strength or pressure on the handles; and to provide fireplace tongs which are of simple design and of strong and'durable construction, having but few parts, and which may bemanufactured and sold at arelatively low cost.

Further objects will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pair'of tongs constructed in accordance with tion; and r Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the tongs shown in Fig. 1.

The embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises an elongate shank which consists of a pair of spaced metal strips or bars i and 2 secured adjacent to their'lower ends by a rivet or pin 3 which passes through a spacer 4 provide a relatively fixed forked jaw 8 having pointed ends 9 adapted to bite into a log or ember.

A movable hook-shaped jaw l2 is'pivotally secured between its ends by a rivet or pin M to the lower ends of the bars I and 2 just below the rivet 3 and the upper end of the jaw 12 is pivotally secured by a pin l5 to the bifurcated lower end of an actuating shank or rod l6 which passes through the slot or bars between the spaces land 2. The upper end of the red It is provided with a handle or knob I8 by means of which the rod maybe manipulated so as to open and close the jaw l2, as indicated by the dot and dash lines of Fig. 1.

The lower spacer 4 provides a stop for limiting theclosing movement of the hooked jaw I2 relative to the fixed jaw 8 and the bifurcated lower end of the rod 16 and its handle l8 prevent the ends of the rod from sliding through the slot between the bars I and 2, thus maintaining the bars I, 2 and the rod [6 in intersecting relation so that the handle 18 is at all times in a readily accessible position.

the present invenand adjacent to their upper ends, the bars I and 2-,

In using the tongs the handle l8 may be manipulated by simple push and pull movement to open and close the jaws, and by swingingthe rod 3 away from the bars i and 2. the efiective leverage on the movable jaw may be varied. As 5 the handle i8 is normally closely adjacent to the handle 6, the tongs may be manipulated using one or both hands.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention,,it is to 'be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that various changes in shape, arrangement and proportion or parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as set forth. in the appended claims.

I claim: a a 1. Fireplace tongs comprising an elongate member which consists of. a pair of 'metal bars having spacers adjacent to each end so as to define a continuous elongate slot, the ends of saidbars beyond the lower spacer being bent to provide a forked jaw and the upper endsof said bars being shaped to provide a handle, a hooked 25 jaw pivotally secured to the lower end of said bars between said forked jawand said lower spacer, said lower spacer providing a stop limiting the pivotal movement of said hooked jaw, and an actuating bar pivotally secured to said hooked jaw and extending through. said slot from one side of said bars to the other.

2. Fireplace tongs comprising a pair of elongate shank members, securing means adjacent the endsofsaidshank members to secure'them in spaced relation and to provide an elongate slot therebetween, the ends of said, shank members beyond the lower securing means being'bent to provide a forked jaw and the endsof said shank members beyond the upper securing'means termi- 0 nating in an enlarged end providing a handle, a hooked jaw pivotally secured to one of said shank members adjacent its lower end and arranged to cooperate with said forked jaw,and an operating rod extending transversely through said elongate slot, the upper end of said operating rod terminating in a. handle, the lower end of said operating rod being pivotally connected to said hooked jaw and the remainder of saidoperating rod being free from attachment to permit said operating rod 'to be actuated about said pivotal connection and d uring such actuation to traverse substantially the entire length of the longitudinal slot.

*HARRv L. GREEN. 

